Tech-centered empowerment for those who feel voiceless.
The teens behind the web video game “Tampon Run” tell how they got started in programming.
This is a first-person account of how Filipina Andrea “Andy” Gonzales from the East Village and the Bronx and white Sophie Houser from the Upper West Side met at the Girls Who Code summer program and joined forces to create a video game that received viral media attention. The chapters are organized chronologically and, inside each, switch between the two authors’ lively narrations. First, they introduce themselves and their backgrounds with programming: Sophie was a high achiever crippled by self-doubt and terrified of public speaking who was drawn to the GWC program to learn a new way to express herself; Andy was a lifelong gamer and programmer’s daughter who had already attended coding programs by the time she attended GWC. What brought the two together for their project was a desire to combine social commentary with their coding, resulting in their successful game. The game (and networking opportunities from GWC) has brought them attention and many more opportunities, but it also took more time and energy than they had to spare. By book’s end, they find themselves evaluating their futures with technology. The psychology of self-doubt and value of persistence are well-presented—the co-authors stress that the greater the frustration, the better the payoff.
Tech-centered empowerment for those who feel voiceless. (coding appendix with glossary, sample code, resources) (Memoir. 12-17)Pub Date: March 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-247250-2
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2017
Just in time for Earth Day comes this wide-ranging look at global climate change, which answers common questions and introduces people and organizations from around the world who are doing something about it. The first section defines the problem, explains how we know it’s happening and responds to common arguments. Complex ideas are conveyed in a light, conversational manner, and the narrative is punctuated with interesting, appropriate quotations as well as interviews with a wide variety of scientists. The second section describes specific “Gaia Warriors”—individuals and groups working to change our ways. Davies describes a wide variety of campaigns—many by young people—especially in the areas of transportation, food, homes, clothing, deforestation and the intersection of climate change and human rights. She addresses some controversies, including the use of biofuels and nuclear power and the utility of carbon dioxide offsets. The trendy, magazine-like design of this English import will appeal to younger teen readers, who are encouraged throughout the book to visit specific websites for further information. First published in England in 2009, the information about world negotiations has been updated to include the results of the Copenhagen meeting that spring. One could quibble with the weight given various topics, but overall this is an enjoyable and comprehensive summary marred only by its complete lack of documentation. (afterword, more resources, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4808-4
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
Attractively designed and handsomely illustrated, this informative text introduces teens to many intriguing angles on a...
Will the world end in a bang or a whimper? Unless pre-empted by human-induced disaster or one of many scientifically possible catastrophic scenarios, life on Earth will end a billion years from now in a sizzle.
Predicting the end of the world is an old story, argues the author, presenting evidence in brief surveys of eschatologies from the world's major religions and mythologies of ancient civilizations. Miller also notes how end-of-world scenarios have captured humanity's imagination in their frequent appearances in science-fiction novels and motion pictures. (Disappointingly, the reasons for this ongoing fascination are not explored.) A chapter about imminent predictions for 2012 explains the Mayan prophecy and a theory about a phantom planet called Nibiru crashing into Earth. Another chapter examines pseudoscientific end-of-world theories such as planetary alignment and pole shifts. The primary focus is on scientifically plausible scenarios: self-destruction through nuclear war or continued environmental exploitation; humanity wiped out by a pandemic; an asteroid or comet strike destroying Earth.
Attractively designed and handsomely illustrated, this informative text introduces teens to many intriguing angles on a high-interest topic that should inspire many to further explore the subject. (chronology, glossary, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7613-7396-4
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
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